Display device

ABSTRACT

Provided is a display device including: a rectangular display panel; a first film-like printed circuit board including a first terminal portion, the first film-like printed circuit board extending from one side of the rectangular display panel in a direction; a rectangular touch panel provided so as to be opposed to the rectangular display panel; and a second film-like printed circuit board including a second terminal portion, the second film-like printed circuit board extending from one side of the rectangular touch panel in the direction, the one side of the rectangular touch panel corresponding to a side parallel with and adjacent to the one side of the rectangular display panel, the first terminal portion and the second terminal portion being provided so that a connecting direction of the first terminal portion is different from a connecting direction of the second terminal portion.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION

The present application claims priority from Japanese applicationJP2008-257716 filed on Oct. 2, 2008, the content of which is herebyincorporated by reference into this application.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to a display device.

2. Description of the Related Art

Recently, a module formed by attaching a touch panel to a display panelincluding a liquid crystal display panel (touch-panel attached displaymodule) has become widespread. In such a module described above,respective panels are attached with printed circuit boards (for example,flexible printed circuit boards FPCs), and terminal portions provided onthe printed circuit boards are connected to other control substrates.

In the touch-panel attached display module for use in a compact devicesuch as a mobile phone, the printed circuit boards are required to berespectively attached with one side of the display panel constitutingthe display module, such as a liquid crystal display panel, and with oneside of the touch panel which is positioned on the same side of the oneside of the display panel. In addition, on each of the printed circuitboards, there is provided the terminal portion having terminals alignedtherein in parallel with the above-mentioned sides. Each of the terminalportions is connected to a connector corresponding thereto. FIG. 9 is aplan view illustrating an example of the touch-panel attached displaymodule. A touch panel and a display panel are provided below a frontwindow FW. A flexible printed circuit board for touch panel TFPC extendsfrom the touch panel while a flexible printed circuit board for displaypanel DFPC extends from the display panel. A terminal portion fordisplay panel DTE is disposed on an end of the flexible printed circuitboard for display panel DFPC while a terminal portion for touch panelTTE is disposed on an end of the flexible printed circuit board fortouch panel TFPC. FIG. 10 is a partial enlarged view of a vicinity ofthe flexible printed circuit boards DFPC and TFPC illustrated in FIG. 9.An alignment direction of the terminals included in the terminal portionfor display panel DTE and an alignment direction of the terminalsincluded in the terminal portion for touch panel TTE are parallel witheach other.

Meanwhile, test connectors for the display panel and the touch panel aredesired to be large in size because the test connectors are required tohave high durability and performance capable of preventing scratchesonto components. However, when large-sized connectors are employed,there arises a problem that the connectors interfere with each other. Anexample of this case is described below. FIG. 11 is a view illustratingan example of a positional relation between test connectors DCN and TCNin a case where the test connectors DCN and TON are to be respectivelyconnected to the terminal portion for display panel DTE and the terminalportion for touch panel TTE illustrated in FIG. 10. In FIG. 11, the testconnector DCN connected to the terminal portion for display panel DTE isillustrated by a solid line while the test connector TCN to be connectedto the terminal portion for touch panel TTE is illustrated by a chaindouble-dashed line. The test connectors DCN and TCN each have so largewidth in the alignment direction of the terminals that a clearancecannot be secured therebetween, which results in interference betweenthe test connectors DCN and TCN.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention has been made in view of the above-mentionedproblem, and therefore has an object of providing a display device inwhich test connectors are prevented from interfering with each other.

Of aspects of the present invention disclosed by the subjectapplication, a brief outline of representative aspects is described asfollows.

The present invention provides a display device including: a rectangulardisplay panel; a first film-like printed circuit board including a firstterminal portion to which a connector is to be connected, the firstfilm-like printed circuit board extending from one side of therectangular display panel in a direction orthogonal to the one side ofthe rectangular display panel; a rectangular touch panel provided so asto be opposed to the rectangular display panel; and a second film-likeprinted circuit board including a second terminal portion to which aconnector is to be connected, the second film-like printed circuit boardextending from one side of the rectangular touch panel in the directionorthogonal to the one side of the rectangular display panel, the oneside of the rectangular touch panel corresponding to a side parallelwith and adjacent to the one side of the rectangular display panel, thefirst terminal portion and the second terminal portion being provided sothat a connecting direction of one of the first terminal portion and thesecond terminal portion is different from a connecting direction ofanother of the first terminal portion and the second terminal portion.

Further, according to one aspect of the present invention, the firstterminal portion and the second terminal portion may be positionedbetween two lines extending from two parallel sides connecting with bothends of the one side of the rectangular display panel.

Further, according to another aspect of the present invention, theconnecting direction of the one of the first terminal portion and thesecond terminal portion may be a direction defined by inclining thedirection orthogonal to the one side of the rectangular display paneltoward one end of the one side of the rectangular display panel.

Further, according to still another aspect of the present invention, theconnecting direction of the another of the first terminal portion andthe second terminal portion may be the direction orthogonal to the oneside of the rectangular display panel.

Further, according to a further aspect of the present invention, theconnecting direction of one of the first terminal portion and the secondterminal portion which is smaller in width may be a direction defined byinclining the direction orthogonal to the one side of the rectangulardisplay panel toward the one end of the one side of the rectangulardisplay panel.

Further, according to a further aspect of the present invention, theconnecting direction of the another of the first terminal portion andthe second terminal portion may be a direction defined by inclining thedirection orthogonal to the one side of the rectangular display paneltoward another end of the one side of the rectangular display panel.

Further, according to a further aspect of the present invention, thedisplay device may further include a transparent plate bonded to asurface of the rectangular touch panel on an opposite side with respectto the rectangular display panel.

According to the present invention, it becomes possible to provide thedisplay device in which the test connectors are prevented frominterfering with each other.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

In the accompanying drawings:

FIG. 1 is a plan view illustrating a liquid crystal display panelaccording to an embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a plan view illustrating a touch panel according to theembodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 3 is a plan view illustrating a front window according to theembodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 4 is a plan view illustrating a touch-panel attached liquid crystaldisplay module according to the embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 5 is a cross-section taken along the line A-A of FIG. 4;

FIG. 6 is a plan view illustrating an example of configurations ofterminal portions according to the embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 7 is a plan view illustrating another example of the configurationsof the terminal portions according to the embodiment of the presentinvention;

FIG. 8 is a plan view illustrating still another example of theconfigurations of the terminal portions according to the embodiment ofthe present invention;

FIG. 9 is a plan view illustrating an example of a touch-panel attacheddisplay module;

FIG. 10 is a partial enlarged view of a vicinity of printed circuitboards illustrated in FIG. 9; and

FIG. 11 is a view illustrating a positional relation between testconnectors in a case where the test connectors are to be connected toterminal portions illustrated in FIG. 10.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

Referring to the accompanying drawings, an exemplary embodiment of thepresent invention is described in detail below. Hereinafter, descriptionis given of a case where the present invention is applied to atouch-panel attached liquid crystal display module for use in a mobilephone, which is a kind of display device.

The touch-panel attached liquid crystal display module according to theembodiment of the present invention includes a liquid crystal displaypanel having a printed circuit board attached thereto, a touch panelhaving a printed circuit board attached thereto, and a front window.

FIG. 1 is a plan view illustrating the liquid crystal display panelaccording to the embodiment of the present invention. The liquid crystaldisplay panel includes a thin film transistor (TFT) array substrate SUB1having a rectangular shape, a color filter substrate SUB2 having arectangular shape, the color filter substrate SUB2 being provided so asto face the TFT array substrate SUB1, a polarizing plate PL providedabove the color filter substrate SUB2, and a liquid crystal drive chipDIC disposed in a rectangular region of the TFT array substrate SUB1,the rectangular region being not covered with the color filter substrateSUB2. A resin mold MD is attached to a periphery of the TFT arraysubstrate SUB1 of the liquid crystal display panel. A printed circuitboard for display panel DFPC is attached along one side of the TFT arraysubstrate SUB1 on the lower side of FIG. 1, the one side of the TFTarray substrate SUB1 defining one side of the above-mentionedrectangular region. The printed circuit board for display panel DFPCextends in a direction orthogonal to the one side of the TFT arraysubstrate SUB1. The printed circuit board for display panel DFPCincludes an arrangement region for liquid crystal drive electroniccomponent DCA, and various kinds of electronic components are arrangedin this arrangement region. A terminal portion for display panel DTE isdisposed on an end of the printed circuit board for display panel DFPC.The printed circuit board for display panel DFPC is a flexible printedcircuit board. The printed circuit board for display panel DFPC and theTFT array substrate SUB1 are parallel with each other in a state of notbeing bent.

FIG. 2 is a plan view illustrating the touch panel according to theembodiment of the present invention. The touch panel mainly includes atouch panel screen TS having a rectangular shape. In the touch panel, aprinted circuit board for touch panel TFPC is attached along one side ofthe touch panel screen TS, and extends in a direction orthogonal to theone side thereof. A touch panel control chip TIC is disposed on theprinted circuit board for touch panel TFPC. In addition to the touchpanel control chip TIC, an arrangement region for touch panel electroniccomponent TCA is provided in the printed circuit board for touch panelTFPC, and various kinds of electronic components are arranged in thisarrangement region. A terminal portion for touch panel TTE is disposedon an end of the printed circuit board for touch panel TFPC. The printedcircuit board for touch panel TFPC is a flexible printed circuit board.The printed circuit board for touch panel TFPC and the touch panelscreen TS are parallel with each other in a state of not being bent.

FIG. 3 is a plan view illustrating a front window FW according to theembodiment of the present invention. The front window FW is formed byapplying black printing to a part of a transparent rectangular plate,such as an acrylic plate. The black-printed part corresponds to aprinted portion PA. The printed portion PA is designed so as not tooverlap with a display region when overlapping with the display panel.In this embodiment, the front window FW is larger in horizontal widththan the TFT array substrate SUB1 of the liquid crystal display panel.Note that a size of the front window FW may be changed depending on thestructure of a case into which the touch-panel attached liquid crystaldisplay module is mounted, such as a mobile phone.

FIG. 4 is a plan view illustrating the touch-panel attached liquidcrystal display module according to the embodiment of the presentinvention. The touch-panel attached liquid crystal display moduleillustrated in FIG. 4 is accomplished by overlapping with one anotherthe liquid crystal display panel illustrated in FIG. 1, the touch panelillustrated in FIG. 2, and the front window FW illustrated in FIG. 3.The touch panel is placed above the liquid crystal display panel, andthe front window FW is placed above the touch panel. A side of the TFTarray substrate SUB1, the side being attached with the printed circuitboard for display panel DFPC (hereinafter referred to as “display panelreference side”), and a side of the touch panel screen TS, the sidebeing attached with the printed circuit board for touch panel TFPC(hereinafter referred to as “touch panel reference side”), arepositioned on the same side with respect to the touch-panel attachedliquid crystal display module. When viewed in plan, the printed circuitboard for display panel DFPC is partially overlapped with the printedcircuit board for touch panel TFPC.

FIG. 5 is a cross-section taken along the line A-A of FIG. 4. The colorfilter substrate SUB2 is provided above the TFT array substrate SUB1 soas to face the TFT array substrate SUB1. The polarizing plate PL isdisposed above the color filter substrate SUB2. The resin mold MD isdisposed below the TFT array substrate SUB1. The liquid crystal displaypanel and the touch panel are bonded to each other by means of anadhesive layer AD2 which is provided between the polarizing plate PL andthe touch panel screen TS provided thereabove. The touch panel and thefront window FW are bonded to each other by means of an adhesive layerAD1 which is provided between the touch panel screen TS and the frontwindow FW provided thereabove. The printed portion PA is provided on apart of a lower surface of the front window FW. A part of the printedportion PA is in contact with the adhesive layer AD1. Note that thefront window FW and the touch panel are bonded to each other over theirentire surfaces by means of the adhesive layer AD1, which makes itpossible to achieve improved visibility with respect to light to bedisplayed in the touch-panel attached liquid crystal display module, andsimplification of its structure.

As is apparent from FIG. 5, the touch panel screen TS and the TFT arraysubstrate SUB1 are parallel with each other. The printed circuit boardfor display panel DFPC and the printed circuit board for touch panelTFPC which are respectively attached to the TFT array substrate SUB1 andthe touch panel screen TS are also parallel with each other in the stateof not being bent. Further, each side of the TFT array substrate SUB1 isparallel with each side of the touch panel screen TS adjacent to thecorresponding side of the TFT array substrate SUB1. Accordingly, adirection in which the printed circuit board for display panel DFPCextends from the display panel reference side (corresponding to adirection orthogonal to the display panel reference side) and adirection in which the printed circuit board for touch panel TFPCextends from the touch panel reference side (corresponding to adirection orthogonal to the touch panel reference side) are the samedirection (hereinafter referred to as “extending direction”).

FIG. 6 is a plan view illustrating an enlarged part of the printedcircuit boards and terminal portions of FIG. 4, and also illustrates anexample of configurations of the terminal portions according to theembodiment of the present invention.

The printed circuit board for touch panel TFPC extends in the extendingdirection from the touch panel screen TS provided below the front windowFW of FIG. 6. When viewed in plan, the printed circuit board for touchpanel TFPC is crooked midway. The terminal portion for touch panel TTEis disposed on the crooked end of the printed circuit board for touchpanel TFPC. Further, the printed circuit board for display panel DFPCextends in the extending direction from the TFT array substrate SUB1provided below the touch panel screen TS. The terminal portion fordisplay panel DTE is disposed on the end of the printed circuit boardfor display panel DFPC.

The terminal portion for display panel DTE and the terminal portion fortouch panel TTE are provided so as to be separated horizontally fromeach other when viewed in plan. Specifically, the terminal portion fordisplay panel DTE is provided on the left side of FIG. 6 while theterminal portion for touch panel TTE is provided on the right side ofFIG. 6. Each of the terminal portions includes a plurality of terminalsaligned in line on an edge of the printed circuit board. The terminalsare each formed by exposing a part of wiring pattern of the printedcircuit board. An alignment direction of the terminals included in theterminal portion for display panel DTE is parallel with the displaypanel reference side. A connecting direction of the terminal portion fordisplay panel DTE corresponds to the extending direction. In this case,the connecting direction of the terminal portion refers to a directionin which the terminal portion is inserted into a connector,specifically, a direction which is orthogonal to the alignment directionof the terminals and is away from the printed circuit board on which theterminal portion is disposed. The connecting direction of the terminalportion for touch panel TTE is a direction inclined at 90° from theextending direction toward a right end of the touch panel reference side(or display panel reference side) when viewed in plan. Further, theterminal portion for touch panel TTE is smaller in width than theterminal portion for display panel DTE. Note that the width of theterminal portion corresponds to a length of the terminal portion in thealignment direction of the terminals.

When viewed in plan, the terminal portion for display panel DTE and theterminal portion for touch panel TTE are positioned between two linesextending from two specific parallel sides of the sides of the TFT arraysubstrate SUB1 provided below the front window FW (hereinafter, adistance between the two parallel sides is referred to as an“installation width”). The two specific parallel sides correspond to twosides connecting with both ends of the display panel reference side. Thereason why the terminal portion for display panel DTE and the terminalportion for touch panel TTE are arranged within the installation widthis that most of the installation width is accounted for the displaypanel in the case of a mobile phone or the like and hence the terminalportions interfere with an exterior panel or the like of the mobilephone if arranged over the installation width. Note that whenincorporated into a mobile phone or the like, both of the printedcircuit board for display panel DFPC and the printed circuit board fortouch panel TFPC are bent so as to respectively connect the terminalportion DTE and the terminal portion TTE to connectors provided on othersubstrates.

In FIG. 6, a test connector DCN to be connected to the terminal portionfor display panel DTE and a test connector TCN to be connected to theterminal portion for touch panel TTE are respectively illustrated bybroken lines. Those test connectors DCN and TON do not interfere witheach other because positions thereof are physically separated.

The reason why those test connectors DON and TCN do not interfere witheach other becomes clear when those connectors are projected onto a side(hereinafter referred to as projection side), which is parallel with thedisplay panel reference side when viewed from the extending direction.This is because, if those two test connectors DCN and TCN projected ontothe projection side do not overlap with each other, the test connectorsDCN and TCN do not interfere with each other. When the test connectorDCN provided on the left side, to which the terminal portion for displaypanel DTE is to be connected, is projected onto the projection side, aprojected right end of the test connector DCN corresponds to a right endof a side of the test connector DCN on a base side or connectingdirection side of the terminal portion for display panel DTE. On theother hand, because a connecting direction of the test connector TCNprovided on the right side is rotated by 90° toward the display panelreference side with respect to the extending direction, a left end ofthe test connector TCN when projected onto the projection sidecorresponds to a side of the test connector TCN on a base side of theterminal portion for touch panel TTE. Further, the alignment directionof the terminals included in the terminal portion for touch panel TTEcorresponds to the extending direction, and hence a length of theterminal portion for touch panel TTE when projected onto the projectionside is reduced. This means that it is possible to bring a position ofthe terminal portion for touch panel TTE into a right end of theinstallation width. As a result, the interference between the testconnectors DCN and TCN may be eliminated.

In this example, as described above, the test connectors DCN and TCN donot interfere with each other. In the example of FIG. 6, in order toprevent the test connector DCN and the printed circuit board for touchpanel TFPC from interfering with each other, a clearance D1 isadditionally secured therebetween. Design only needs to be made takinginto consideration that a clearance D2 is secured between the printedcircuit board for display panel DFPC and the printed circuit board fortouch panel TFPC.

In addition, because the alignment direction of the terminals includedin the terminal portion for touch panel TTE corresponds to the extendingdirection, the printed circuit board for touch panel TFPC needs toextend from the front window FW by a length or more of the side on thebase side of the test connector DCN when viewed in plan. In the exampleof FIG. 6, because the alignment direction of the terminals included inthe terminal portion for touch panel TTE having the smaller widthcorresponds to the extending direction, the length of the printedcircuit board may be reduced to be even smaller compared with the casewhere the alignment direction of the terminals included in the terminalportion for display panel DTE corresponds to the extending direction.This makes it possible to secure the larger number of flexible printedcircuit boards capable of being produced from one printed circuit boardmaterial. Note that the same effect as described above can be obtainedeven in a case where a horizontal positional relation between theterminal portion for display panel DTE and the terminal portion fortouch panel TTE is reversed.

FIG. 7 is a view illustrating another example of the configurations ofthe terminal portions according to the embodiment of the presentinvention. A relation between the printed circuit board for touch panelTFPC and the touch panel screen TS provided below the front window FWand a relation between the printed circuit board for display panel DFPCand the TFT array substrate SUB1 provided below the touch panel screenTS are identical with those of the example of FIG. 6. When viewed inplan, the printed circuit board for display panel DFPC is crookedmidway. The terminal portion for display panel DTE is disposed on thecrooked end of the printed circuit board for display panel DFPC. Theprinted circuit board for touch panel TFPC is also crooked midway whenviewed in plan. The terminal portion for touch panel TTE is disposed onthe crooked end of the printed circuit board for touch panel TFPC.

The terminal portion for display panel DTE and the terminal portion fortouch panel TTE are provided so as to be separated horizontally fromeach other when viewed in plan. Specifically, the terminal portion fordisplay panel DTE is provided on the left side of FIG. 7 while theterminal portion for touch panel TTE is provided on the right side ofFIG. 7. The connecting direction of the terminal portion for displaypanel DTE is a direction inclined at 90° from the extending directiontoward a left end of the display panel reference side when viewed inplan. The connecting direction of the terminal portion for touch panelTTE is a direction inclined at 90° from the extending direction towardthe right end of the touch panel reference side (or display panelreference side) when viewed in plan. Further, the terminal portion fortouch panel TTE is smaller in width than the terminal portion fordisplay panel DTE. As in the example of FIG. 6, the terminal portion fortouch panel TTE and the terminal portion for display panel DTE arearranged within the installation width when viewed in plan.

When the test connector DCN provided on the left side, to which theterminal portion for display panel DTE is to be connected, is projectedonto the projection side, a projected right end of the test connectorDCN corresponds to the side of the test connector DCN on the base sideof the terminal portion for display panel DTE. On the other hand, a leftend of the test connector TCN when projected onto the projection sidecorresponds to the side of the test connector TCN on the base side ofthe terminal portion for touch panel TTE. Further, because the alignmentdirection of the terminals included in the terminal portion for displaypanel DTE and the alignment direction of the terminals included in theterminal portion for touch panel TTE correspond to the extendingdirection, the length of the terminal portion for display panel DTE andthe length of the terminal portion for touch panel TTE when projectedonto the projection side are reduced. This means that it is possible tobring a position of the terminal portion for display panel DTE into aleft end of the installation width and a position of the terminalportion for touch panel TTE into a right end thereof. As a result, theinterference between the test connectors DCN and TON may be eliminated.

FIG. 8 is a view illustrating still another example of theconfigurations of the terminal portions according to the embodiment ofthe present invention. A relation between the printed circuit board fortouch panel TFPC and the touch panel screen TS provided below the frontwindow FW and a relation between the printed circuit board for displaypanel DFPC and the TFT array substrate SUB1 provided below the touchpanel screen TS are identical with those of the example of FIG. 6. Theprinted circuit board for display panel DFPC extends in the extendingdirection. The terminal portion for display panel DTE is disposed on theend of the printed circuit board for display panel DFPC. The printedcircuit board for touch panel TFPC is crooked midway when viewed inplan. The terminal portion for touch panel TTE is disposed on thecrooked end of the printed circuit board for touch panel TFPC.

The terminal portion for display panel DTE and the terminal portion fortouch panel TTE are provided so as to be separated horizontally fromeach other when viewed in plan. Specifically, the terminal portion fordisplay panel DTE is provided on the left side of FIG. 8 while theterminal portion for touch panel TTE is provided on the right side ofFIG. 8. The connecting direction of the terminal portion for displaypanel DTE is the extending direction. The connecting direction of theterminal portion for touch panel TTE is a direction inclined at α° (α isa positive value less than 90°, and is 45° in FIG. 8) from the extendingdirection toward the right end of the touch panel reference side (ordisplay panel reference side) when viewed in plan. Further, the terminalportion for touch panel TTE is smaller in width than the terminalportion for display panel DTE. As in the example of FIG. 6, the terminalportion for touch panel TTE and the terminal portion for display panelDTE are arranged within the installation width when viewed in plan.

When the test connector DCN provided on the left side, to which theterminal portion for display panel DTE is to be connected, is projectedonto the projection side, a projected right end of the test connectorDCN corresponds to a right end of the side of the test connector DON onthe base side or connecting direction side of the terminal portion fordisplay panel DTE. On the other hand, a left end of the test connectorTON provided on the right side when projected onto the projection sidecorresponds to a left end of the side of the test connector TCN on thebase side of the terminal portion for touch panel TTE. In this case,because the alignment direction of the terminals included in theterminal portion for touch panel TTE is inclined at α°, the length ofthe terminal portion for touch panel TTE when projected onto theprojection side is determined as “the width of the terminal portion fortouch panel TTE”×“cos(α)” to be reduced compared with the case where theconnecting direction of the terminal portion for touch panel TTE is madethe same as the extending direction. This means that it is possible tobring a position of the terminal portion for touch panel TTE into aright end of the installation width. As a result, the interferencebetween the test connectors DCN and TCN may be eliminated. Besides, thelength of the terminal portion for touch panel TTE in the extendingdirection is smaller than the cases of FIG. 6 and FIG. 7, andaccordingly the length of the printed circuit board may be reduced to beeven smaller, which makes it possible to secure the larger number offlexible printed circuit boards capable of being produced from oneprinted circuit board material.

Note that as in the example of FIG. 6, in order to prevent the testconnector DCN and the printed circuit board for touch panel TFPC frominterfering with each other, a clearance D1 is additionally securedtherebetween. Design only needs to be made taking into considerationthat a clearance D2 is secured between the printed circuit board fordisplay panel DFPC and the printed circuit board for touch panel TFPC.

As has been described above with reference to the examples, interferencebetween the test connectors DCN and TCN may be suppressed. Further,because no problem arises even when the test connectors DCN and TCN arelarge in size, it becomes possible to employ general-purpose FPCconnectors. As a result, it also becomes possible to perform test jigmaintenance with more ease. Note that as another countermeasure againstthe interference between the test connectors, there may be conceived anidea of eliminating the interference by lengthening one of the terminalportions in the extending direction so as to extend off a housingportion of a connector corresponding to another one of the terminalportions. However, even compared with the idea described above, thepresent invention has an advantage of securing the larger number offlexible printed circuit boards capable of being produced from oneprinted circuit board material, to thereby suppress lowering of yield.Besides, the present invention has another advantage that the lengths ofthe flexible printed circuit boards in the extending direction are shortto be suitable for reduction in size of a device.

While there have been described what are at present considered to becertain embodiments of the invention, it will be understood that variousmodifications may be made thereto, and it is intended that the appendedclaims cover all such modifications as fall within the true spirit andscope of the invention.

In the embodiment of the present invention, the case of the touch-panelattached liquid crystal display module for use in a mobile phone hasbeen described. However, the present invention is not limited thereto.It should be understood that the present invention is applicable to, forexample, a case where other display panel including an organicelectroluminescence device is used instead of the liquid crystal displaypanel, and any use other than the mobile phone.

What is claimed is:
 1. A display device, comprising: a rectangulardisplay panel; a first film-like printed circuit board including a firstterminal portion to which a connector is to be connected, the firstfilm-like printed circuit board extending from one side of therectangular display panel in a direction orthogonal to the one side ofthe rectangular display panel without folding of the first film-likeprinted circuit board; a rectangular touch panel provided so as to beopposed to a viewing side of the rectangular display panel; and a secondfilm-like printed circuit board including a second terminal portion towhich a connector is to be connected, the second film-like printedcircuit board extending from one side of the rectangular touch panel inthe same direction orthogonal to the one side of the rectangular displaypanel without folding of the second film-like printed circuit board, theone side of the rectangular touch panel corresponding to a side parallelwith and adjacent to the one side of the rectangular display panel, thefirst terminal portion and the second terminal portion being provided sothat a connecting direction of the connector for one of the firstterminal portion and the second terminal portion is different from aconnecting direction of the connector for another of the first terminalportion and the second terminal portion.
 2. A display device accordingto claim 1, wherein the first terminal portion and the second terminalportion are positioned between two lines extending from two parallelsides connecting with both ends of the one side of the rectangulardisplay panel.
 3. A display device according to claim 1, wherein theconnecting direction of the connector for the one of the first terminalportion and the second terminal portion is a direction defined byinclining the direction orthogonal to the one side of the rectangulardisplay panel toward one end of the one side of the rectangular displaypanel.
 4. A display device according to claim 3, wherein the connectingdirection of the connector for the another of the first terminal portionand the second terminal portion is the direction orthogonal to the oneside of the rectangular display panel.
 5. A display device according toclaim 3, wherein the connecting direction of the connector for the oneof the first terminal portion and the second terminal portion which issmaller in width is a direction defined by inclining the directionorthogonal to the one side of the rectangular display panel toward theone end of the one side of the rectangular display panel.
 6. A displaydevice according to claim 3, wherein the connecting direction of theconnector for the another of the first terminal portion and the secondterminal portion is a direction defined by inclining the directionorthogonal to the one side of the rectangular display panel towardanother end of the one side of the rectangular display panel.
 7. Adisplay device according to claim 1, further comprising a transparentplate bonded to a surface of the rectangular touch panel on an oppositeside with respect to the rectangular display panel.
 8. A display deviceaccording to claim 1, wherein the first terminal portion of the firstfilm-like printed circuit board extends at a part of the first film-likeprinted circuit board in a direction substantially parallel to the oneside of the rectangular display panel, and the second terminal portionof the second film-like printed circuit board extends at a part of thesecond film-like printed circuit board in a direction substantiallyorthogonal to the one side of the rectangular display panel so that aconnecting direction of the connector for the first terminal portiondiffers from a connecting direction of the connector for the secondterminal portion and enables connection of the respective connectors forthe first and second terminal portions without interferencetherebetween.
 9. A display device according to claim 8, wherein a widthof the second terminal portion in the extension direction thereof issmaller than a width of the first terminal portion in the extensiondirection thereof.
 10. A display device according to claim 8, whereinthe display device forms a part of a mobile phone.
 11. A display deviceaccording to claim 1, wherein the first film-like printed circuit boardhas substantially a first thickness throughout the extent of the firstfilm-like printed circuit board, and the second film-like circuit boardhas substantially a second thickness throughout the extent of the secondfilm-like printed circuit board so that the first and second film-likecircuit boards have no portion folded back upon another portion thereofand resulting in a change of the thickness of a respective film-likecircuit board thereat.
 12. A display device according to claim 11,wherein the first terminal of the first film-like printed circuit boardis provided at a part of the first film-like printed circuit board andextends in a first direction which is substantially parallel to the oneside of the rectangular display panel, and the second terminal portionof the second film-like printed circuit board is provided at a part ofthe second film-like printed circuit board so as to extend in a seconddirection which is substantially orthogonal to the one side of therectangular display panel so that the connecting direction for theconnector of the first terminal portion differs from the connectingdirection of the connector for the second terminal portion so as toenable connecting of the connectors for the first and second terminalportions without interference therebetween.
 13. A display deviceaccording to claim 11, wherein the display device forms a part of amobile phone.
 14. A display device according to claim 1, wherein thedisplay device forms a part of a mobile phone.